Celtic Wheel - January 2019

Ireland is called in honour of Éiru, one of the three Tuatha de Danann princesses. The number three and our Celtic wheel is part of Ireland culture.

Celtic Wheel - In Eiru we have a wheel. Often called the ‘Wheel of the Sun’ or 'Celtic Wheel' this goes back through time immemorial and is often seen carved into our stones within the sacred sites.

The Celtic 8-fold Wheel takes us through the turning of the year on specific points that have been celebrated on the land of Ireland from time immemorial. The Wheel allows us to become aware and integrate with the subtle changes happening within the earth. Each point upon the Wheel has its own focus and expression and is celebrated with fire and festivals.

This wheel is based upon the four Fire Ceremonies – showing the continued Faces of the Goddesses – as well as the solstices and equinoxes. Each province in Eire holds within the land places where these ceremonies were held; for example in Leinster we have New Grange for the winter solstice and here in Kerry, Munster, we have the Paps of Anu where Bealtaine is still celebrated and Grange Lois is celebrated at Lugnnasa

Celtic festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Bealtaine and Lughnasa. This seasonal cycle mirrors the cycle of life from conception to old age and death.

The four main points upon the Wheel are:

Samhain Winter - 31st October to 1st November; Day of the ancestors, honouring the darkness and time of rest. Seeds lying dormant. 31st October belongs to the ancestors and traditionally the 30th October was the last day of the year with the 1st November being the first day of the new year. The festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-en) or Halloween falls on October 31st Like the beginning of our new school year, it and marked the beginning of the yearly cycle for Celtic peoples. This was a time of death and the promise of re-birth, a time for stillness and reflection. It was understood that in the dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed beneath the ground.

Imbolc Spring - 31st Jan to 1st February; A time of beginning, preparation for the seeds, the earth awakening. Imbolc (pronounced Im-ulk) is the old Celtic name for the spring festival on February 1st, now St. Brigit's Day. The birth of lambs and the first snowdrops herald this season of new life as the land re-awakens and growth begins again. Brigit, was a Celtic Christian Saint and pre-Christian goddess of the land.

Bealtaine Summer - 30th April to 1st May; A time of seeding, fertility and celebration of life. The great fire festival of Bealtaine (pronounced Belt-an-a) or May Day celebrates the bright half of the year and the coming of summer's warmth. This is the time for sexual awakenings, marriages and the adventures of young adulthood. Diarmuid and Grainne's bed are mythical lovers. Bealtaine is a time for celebratory ceremonial fires, where young adults can claim their personal power.

Lughnasa Autumn - 31st July to 1st August; A time of Harvest and gathering both grains and clans. Originally Tealta’s Day. The festival of Lughnasa (pronounced Loo-na-sa) in early August marks the beginning of the harvest and the transition from summer to autumn. Named after Lugh Lamh Fada, the hero of the mythical Tuatha de Dannan, it is a time of plenty and celebration. As we approach the end of the cycle it is time to reflect, give thanks and celebrate all that has come to fruition. The cycle is now complete, and the possibility of re-birth beckons as a new cycle begins.

The lesser points are the Solstices, 21st June & 21st December and the Equinoxes – 21st March & 21st September.

The Celtic Shamanic tradition goes back over many thousands of years. Each clan or grouping of people held in reverence the Shamanic Way. This Way allows a person to Journey into these worlds for healing, for answers, for visions, which brings a sense of continuity, wholeness and integration for self and for the clan.

Walking The Spiral - In our Irish tradition we walk a Spiral from birth to death/ rebirth. Upon this Spiral of Life we encounter people and situations that help us to grow and become Soul-intergrated personalities. In understanding, walking and experiencing the Spiral path, we release, we open and we grow within accordingly; allowing ourselves the opportunity to create and recognise our realities. As we walk we connect with the guides of the land and also connect to either Bridget, Eiru, Aine, Mabd, Tealta, Macha, lugh, Meave, or Dadga to name but a few. Sometimes it is the Ascended Master the Green Man that will come join us as we walk the Celtic wheel or spiral.

As we start a new year, it is a nice time to take time to give thanks for the blessings of the past year and to embrace and set the intent for a blessed new year ahead of us.

Maria's Bio: Maria is a gifted healer, intuitive and medical intuitive from Ireland. She carries a vast wealth of experience from a life of passionate exploration of the profound healing and ancient Irish intuitive gifts she inherited from her mother and going back to her grandmothers, two great uncles who were well known healers of the sick and even as far back as her great, great, great, grandfather (b. 1837) who was known as the Irish Healer of Animals. Her depth of knowledge and wisdom comes from her deep study and relentless research. Maria offers Celtic Intuitive & Angel Card Reading thru Skype or phone to any were in the world. Maria grew up in Ireland and has travelled to over 16 countries and visited 245 cities. She has lived and travelled to Australia, Canada, North and South America, Europe and many places around the world. Maria has lived in the Okanagan, BC, Canada for years. She now lives part-time also back home in Ireland in the Spring and Autumn. Maria is the founder and publisher of 'OK In Health eMagazine' and Web site since 2014. www.OKinHealth.com is a beam of light in the wellness community. Maria was awarded the 2008 SOWINS, Women Up Front and Centre - Health & Wellness Award for her work on OK In Health eMagazine and the community.
Over the years she has also worked as an Event Organizer and brought instructors to the Okanagan from all over the world. Maria was also involved at the grass root level in bringing in Dr Deepak Chopra. Gregg Braden and Dr. Wayne Dyer to the Okanagan valley. Maria has a wealth of experience in travel, as a healer and in events organizing. Maria hosts a weekly Health Column in 5 Okanagan newspapers. In 2013, Maria brought 30 people to Ireland for the 14 day Celtic Angel Ireland Tour and since then brings two tours over to Ireland each year. Maria has published two books on Sacred Ireland and is working on her third book. Maria continues to enjoy studying, travelling, offering sessions, working on OK In Health eMagazine, loving life in the beautiful Okanagan Valley and the Sacred Ireland Tours. - Maria O'Farrell Carr Website - Email

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERThis information and research is intended to be reliable, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All material in this article is provided for information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this newsletter / e-magazine / website. Readers should consult their doctor and other qualified health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information and opinions provided in this newsletter / e-magazine/website are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors. Readers who fail to consult with appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions. OK in Health is not responsible for the information in these articles or for any content included in this article which is intended as a guide only and should not be used as a substitute to seeking professional advice from either your doctor or a registered specialist for yourself or anyone else.

Keep your kitchen sanitary. Our registered dietitian recommends washing sponges carefully and replacing them regularly. Sponges can harbor bacteria. These may recontaminate your dishes and countertops. Wash sponges in the hot cycle of your dishwasher, or disinfect them in a chlorine bleach solution.

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